King Joash

King Joash (or Johoash) was the son of Ahaziah, and the only one of his children who escaped the murderous hand of Athaliah, his grandmother. After his father's sister Jehoshabeath--the wife of Jehoida the high priest--stole the babe from among the king's sons, he was hidden for six years in the chambers of the temple. In the seventh year of his age and of his concealment, a successful revolution, conducted by Jehoiada, placed him on the throne of his ancestors and freed the country from the tyranny and idolaters of Queen Athaliah.

For at least twenty-three years, while Jehoiada lived, Joash's reign was very prosperous, but after the death of Jehoiada, King Joash fell into the hands of bad advisers, at whose suggestion he revived the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth. When he was rebuked for this by Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, Joash caused Zechariah to be stoned to death in the court of the Lord's house.

That same year Hazael, King of Syria, came up against Jerusalem and carried off a vast treasure as the price of his departure. Joash had scarcely escaped this danger when he fell into another more fatal one. Two of his servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed in the fortress of Millo. Joash's reign lasted forty years, from 878 to 838 B.C.

These drawings which show King Joash are from a number of Bible books. Feel free to use these pictures of King Joash in your art work. Click on the illustrations below to see more details about saving a free image of King Joash or about purchasing a higher resolution image.